Will court say worship services can continue in NYC public schools on weekends?

Seal of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NEW YORK — Alliance Defense Fund Senior Counsel Jordan Lorence will be available for media interviews immediately following his oral argument in federal court Friday in favor of an order that would allow churches to continue meeting in New York City public school buildings on weekends.

ADF attorneys won a preliminary court order in February that has temporarily allowed worship services to take place while a lawsuit against the city’s policy of excluding them continues. The hearing Friday concerns an ADF motion that asks the court to convert the preliminary injunction to a permanent one.

“Religious groups, including churches, shouldn’t be discriminated against simply because they want to meet in public buildings for worship services on the same terms as other groups,” said ADF Senior Counsel Jordan Lorence. “A permanent order is needed so that faith groups that meet in empty public school buildings on weekends can continue to serve their communities. Every community service that evicted churches can no longer provide is one more community service taxpayers have to fund.”

A bill that would compel the city’s Department of Education to allow the worship services has passed the state senate and is awaiting action by the state assembly.

“New York legislators can resolve this issue once and for all by making the city get rid of its bad policy,” Lorence explained. “The courts have consistently ruled that the Constitution does not require New York City to ban religious worship services, so the city or the state legislature is free to repeal the policy.”

Pronunciation guide: Lorence (LOHR’-ents)

ADF is a legal alliance of Christian attorneys and like-minded organizations defending the right of people to freely live out their faith. Launched in 1994, ADF employs a unique combination of strategy, training, funding, and litigation to protect and preserve religious liberty, the sanctity of life, marriage, and the family.